1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a solid-state image pickup device incorporating an image pickup element, and to an image pickup device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solid-state image pickup elements are acquiring increasing numbers of pixels and becoming multifunctional and more and more data is being output digitally. In response thereto, packages having such solid-state image pickup elements are acquiring an increasing number of external terminals. Some packages include an insert-molded metal sheet which provided with mounting sections with which the package is securely fixed to the inside of a still camera or a video camera. The package includes a rectangular frame section. The mounting sections of the metal sheet, which is a mounting plate, protrude from both sides of the frame section and lead frames protrude from the rest of the sides of the frame section (see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-9264 or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-134998).
For the injection molding of the above-described related art package, resin is injected through a resin injection port of a mold. The resin injection port should be located at a position not interfering with the metal sheet and the lead frames on side surfaces of the package. The resin injection port is located, for example, on a bottom surface of a recessed section of the package on which the solid-state image pickup element is to be rested, or on an upper surface of a periphery of the recessed section to which a transparent cover is fixed. There is a possibility that a burr, which is resin remaining after the separation of packages, is formed at the resin injection port. Such a burr affects dimensional accuracy and surface smoothness of, for example, a surface on which the solid-state image pickup element is to be rested and a surface to which the cover is to be fixed. As an alternative approach, the resin injection port may be provided above or below the metal sheet or the lead frames on the side surfaces of the package. In that case, the resin may adhere to the metal sheet to decrease accuracy as the mounting plate and the resin may adhere to the lead frames to decrease solderability. The resin injection port can be provided on the side surface of the package if the package is increased in thickness or expanded in area. However, such an increase or expansion is not acceptable in current circumstances in which more and more compact packages are required.